A Predator's Slumber
by CJwat15
Summary: The finale of Team CEBS takes place three months after Eternal Hunt. The team is divided. Chris is off visiting the Shrine of Magic with his new companion, Estrella and Sade have shut themselves from the world, and Ben has...unfinished business. Will the team unite once again? Or will they fall victim to their greatest fears once again?
1. Chapter 1: Tempered Resolve

**Author's Note**

Hello dear reader!

Welcome to the finale of my RWBY OC team fanstory! This is part of the Team CEBS Storyline, which you can refer to on my profile.

If you haven't read the previous stories, here's a brief look at the order.

Team CEBS

Eternal Hunt

A Predator's Slumber (You are here!)

-Offside Story: Attarian History (Think of it as a "World of Remnant" like story.)

Even after this story is finished, Team CEBS' legacy will live on. How you ask? The answer is on my profile!

Anyways, enjoy the story!

-CJwat15

* * *

"How do you conquer your fears?"

"Simple. You find the courage to control it."

Christopher

Ugh...I'm getting a really bad sense of deja vu. I've just woken up in a pool of blood. My blood to be exact.

As the wounds start to mend themselves, I pick myself up and take in my surroundings. Still nothing but barren wasteland for miles. I quickly take out a notebook, and make a quick entry.

"I have died for the fifteenth time today. Still no sign of the Shrine of Magic, but I'll keep on moving." I write, before I'm startled by a voice behind me.

"Is the journal I created for you holding up?" comes the voice of Noelia via telepathy. The good news is that I only have to think to give her an answer, since talking might draw unwanted attention from the wild monsters that have slaughtered me multiple times.

"Yeah, thanks for giving me something that'll help me from losing my mind out here Noelia. Although, are you okay using your goddess powers for things like this?" I "answer" back. She says that it's fine, but I get this nagging feeling that others who share bodies with gods and goddesses of magic would abuse this power. I won't though, or at least I'll try not to…

Growl...Yipes, that's my stomach growling. Darn it. If I was back home, maybe I'd have Estrella make one of my favorite dishes. Especially if I can eat...Huh? I forgot what it was. Oh right. Now I'm reminded of the downsides of dying and reviving.

I'm about to start clawing at the ground in frustration, but my hands are suddenly occupied by a large ham sandwich! Geez Noelia, you're spoiling me. However...this sandwich is going to probably do more harm than good.

Just as I finish the sandwich, Altered Phantoms rise up around me. These nasty upgraded Fallen Phantoms have been the main reason I've been dying so much. Oh well, I'd better put up a fight then. Drawing Scarlet Nightmare, I charge towards the nearest one, and start swinging. That one went down easily, but I regret not having enough ammo for this journey. For both my gunblade and my carbine.

After fending them off, I feel utterly spent. Maybe if I had more ammo, I would be better prepared for all this crap. Suddenly, Noelia pops out in ghost form.

"You know Chris, I could provide you with the supplies you so desperately need, but you've been refusing the offer ever since you used up your last few bullets. So come on, you need my help." she sweetly offers for the millionth time. Fine. I let her create a surplus of ammo, trail mix, and a full water canteen.

I feel bad that Noelia has to help me like this, but she is the one offering it to me. After gathering up the supplies, I keep on walking...until I notice a large gate in the distance.

"That's where the Shrine of Magic is, am I right Noelia?" I ask before she nods and flies back into my body.

Hold on Estrella, I'll be home soon. With this thought in my head, I make my way towards the gate.


	2. Chapter 2: Shattered Heart

"What if your emotions were stolen from your heart?"

"Would you have the strength to keep fighting?"

Estrella

It's been three months since the operation in the Phantom Region, and I haven't heard from Chris since. Right now I'm just sitting in his room at his mansion, looking at a photo collection.

Most of them are memories of Chris and I. The first time we met, our first date, the beginning of the war with Cardinal, and many others. This is probably torturing my mind, but I have nothing else to do. Chris is on his own journey. Nicholas has replaced him on the front lines for fighting Cardinal. Ben is barely around, and poor Sade is in a similar state to mine.

I'm never going to forget what happened down there. Chris forced us to come back here, while he risks his life to visit some shrine. This is all because of that goddess of magic Noelia with her request to see her family or whatever. Still, if Chris hadn't found her, we would've been defeated by her sister Pyra…

Maybe I should eat something since I've starved myself for a while.

Making my way towards the kitchen, I find a note taped to the fridge from Nicholas.

"To Estrella, my future daughter-in-law. I hope you're feeling better as I'm handling the front lines in my son's place. Do not rush to return to the battlefield, as Mahony has given Team CEBS a release from the operations for now. Cheers, Nicholas."

Sigh...If having Team CEBS gone was actually hindering the efforts against Cardinal was true, I'd probably feel much worse right now. Well, maybe it's partially true...Agh whatever. I open the fridge to grab a few sandwich ingredients, but a small plastic container catches my eye. The thick pudding that is in that container happens to be Chris' favorite. Mango. I'm really tempted to eat it, but I was planning on saving it for Chris when he got back…

The empty container fits in well within the clutter of my room. Empty chip bags, empty ramen cups, and many used utensils. Hopefully Sade hasn't let her room get this way, but what can I say? As her older sister, the only reason she'd become like me is due to my habits. I've also neglected maintaining my blades.

Flinging myself into bed, I make sure to look away from the container before falling asleep.

Dreams. They provide an escape from whatever hell a person may be going through, and that's why they are one of the most precious things we have. Noelia is the Goddess of Dreams after all, and she can govern them at her own free will.

Still, dreaming that I'm in a land of sweets and other desserts is the childish escape I desperately needed. I have to stay far away from the mango pudding though...or this dream is turning into one hell of a nightmare.

There are too many reminders in this dream however. Candy canes carved into katanas...a fluffy marshmallow phoenix statue...AGH! I can't take it in here!

Waking up with a jolt, I notice that a few rays of sunlight are coming in through my window. What was that dream telling me with the candy cane blades? My actual katanas are in my closet right now...gathering dust.

Whatever. Maybe I should just sleep in...Sade's probably doing the same after all.


	3. Chapter 3: Primal Desires

Benjamin

Cardinal isn't letting up. The report from Mahony confirms it, and that's not good. The Predator Units are stretched thin as it is...along with Team CEBS. I tried to get through to both Estrella and Sade, but they didn't bother listening to me...similar to what happened in my nightmare. People shut me out and don't give me a chance. My family, my squad, and now my friends.

To think that all I have left is my equipment, and what's left in the flask I'm drinking out of. I'm going to need to refill this thing somewhere. Whiskey, scotch, rum, or whatever, it all tastes the same now.

I've turned into an alcoholic, but I couldn't care less. Besides, it dulls the pain I feel if I ever get into a fist fight, so it's actually helping me! Right? Ugh...I'm questioning so many decisions and aspects of my life right now; and it's just adding to my ever-growing insanity!

Clenching my fists in a mixed fit of both rage and confusion, I jump from the rooftop edge I was sitting on down to the streets of Gria City. This place has become more of a slum now though. The familiar shopping district where Team CEBS had their first double date is now a supply centre for the many refugees flooding into the Predator Unit controlled cities.

That reminds me. Only Ephario and Polk are under Cardinal's control, but they've been holding on for months. I can't even count the casualties, and Mahony is running out of experienced soldiers to handle the front lines. Losing fighters faster than you can train them...that's the perfect sign of a losing battle, or at least it's one of them. Still it's not the...AGH! My head just decided to throb violently, which signals that I'm having another one of my primal attacks.

Quickly dashing out of the city, I head towards Gria City's port. It's small, but I just need to stow away on a ferry or something. Grr….I start to growl in pain, but fortunately I've had practice with keeping my urges under control. Still, I can only suppress it for a solid hour before going berserk. Oh! There's a ferry heading for the outer islands! I'd better catch up before it leaves the port!

Just before the ferry takes off, I scamper aboard before hiding in the below deck storage. Okay...I think one of these ferries takes about fifteen minutes to reach their first stop, so I'll be able to hold on for now.

So I wait for fifteen minutes of torture before I hear an announcement from an intercom above.

"Arrival at the Nilf Enclave. All passengers prepare for the docking."

Without missing a beat, I skulk off the boat onto the dock. At least there aren't many guards around here. I quickly head into a forest near the port before changing into my Wolf Form. Good. The familiar predatorial feeling washes over me as I dash forward in search of fresh meat.

The Nilf Enclave forests seems to have an abundance of wildlife, but even the natural predators seem to be rather docile. Strange. I don't have any trouble killing a few deer and wolves, and that's all I need to satiate my primal attack for now, so I immediately turn back into my Human Form.

GRRR! Just as I do, I have to draw my knife to deflect a large arm making a swipe at me! Great, a bear! I hurl my knife at its right leg, embedding it deep and drawing a fair amount of blood. Quickly turning to run, I rip the knife loose with the ribbon attached to it before breaking into a full sprint.

Thank goodness there was an abandoned cabin not too far from the forest. I didn't want to fight a bear immediately after a Form Change...but crap. That run-in has caused my primal desires to surface again.

I'm about to head out again when I notice an outlying box in the corner of the dark cabin. Upon opening it, there seem to be multiple bottles of cider. Heh. I won't be going out for a while then...


	4. Chapter 4: Journey's Purpose

Sade

Just as I finish sharpening my rapier, I leave my room to grab something to eat. Looks like Estrella's still in her room. Good, I'll put my plan into action as soon as I'm ready.

Since I'm not great when it comes to rations, I just make a dozen dry corned beef sandwiches before wrapping them individually in paper towels and plastic wrap. Then I divide them equally into two large rucksacks along with other travelling supplies.

Grappling hooks, extra coils of rope, water canteens, bedrolls, etc. Buckling both of them up, I lay them carefully by the door before heading back into my room for one more thing.

A photo of Team CEBS. Because whether the team likes it or not, I'm bringing them back together!

Walking up to Estrella's room, I hastily start rapping on the door.

"It's open." comes the quiet voice of Estrella. Upon opening her door, I immediately jump back from the smell of her room. Stale food and rancid liquids make for a disgusting combo. I see Estrella just sitting on her bed, and she looks like she's already died. After Chris left her, I haven't seen her do her hair up, take a bath, or even train with her blades. Still, what would Chris hope to accomplish besides helping Noelia? If anything, wouldn't Estrella have sensed Chris' intentions?

Sigh...maybe it's time to use my genetic abilities. Estrella doesn't seem to care, but I think this will get her to come back to her senses. Reaching into my rucksack, I pull out a golden syringe. Fairy DNA. Then I inject myself while Estrella finally jumps up in shock.

"Don't!" But that's the last thing I hear before a bright light engulfs me.

I awake to the low hum of something. Opening my eyes, I seem to be floating in water. However, I see someone in front of me. She looks strangely familiar. Oh! It's that goddess from The Phantom Region, I think her name is Noelia…

"Funny to see the sister of Estrella here. I'm guessing this is the Fairy DNA that Chris mentioned about you." she casually states.

Huh? Chris told her all about that? That really makes me wonder what else Chris is telling her. Still, she also lets me know that Chris has nearly reached the Shrine of Magic and will be heading home soon.

That's good news for Estrella at least, but she'll need to move fast if she wants to meet Chris ahead of time. Just as Noelia finishes explaining, the same bright light comes over me once again.

I'm back in Estrella's room, and she immediately rushes over to me before tightly embracing me.

"Damn it Sade! You know what my worst fear is, so why do you do things like this?" she yells at me, but it causes me to sigh in relief. She's finally showing emotions once again. Once she's calmed down, I explain the situation to her. This seems to lift her spirits slightly...and while she starts to clean up her room before we leave, I look outside the front door.

It's a grey day, but I think the sun will be coming soon. Because I, Sade Silva, will work alongside my older sister to reunite Team CEBS!


	5. Chapter 5: The Sudden Return

Christopher

Passing through the gate, I'm immediately bewildered by the trees that have golden colored leaves. Everything looks as if a millionaire had just painted it with their fortune. I pluck a golden apple from a tree before biting into it without hesitation...The juiciness is unreal! I wonder if I'd be able to bring some of these home?

"If you think you'd be able to those back out the gate, you'd need permission from the council in the Shrine of Magic." comes the voice of Noelia inside my head.

Oh. That answers that question then. I keep walking into the thick golden foliage until I reach a large mountain, and Noelia beckons me towards an opening ahead. I'm guessing that's the path to the Shrine of Magic.

The tunnel is dark, so I quickly look around for a dry stick. Grabbing one off the cold stone floor, I cast a fire spell on it, and it illuminates the darkness. Drawing Scarlet Nightmare, I proceed cautiously while Noelia talks to me again.

"I'll come out in spirit form once we get to the shrine council." I nod in agreement while continuing to creep down the passageway. Urk, the air's getting thinner in here. I'll manage, but I'll probably need a few deep breaths when an opportunity presents itself. The torch I made won't last long either...Oh! I see a blue light up ahead. Moving forward, I drop my torch before squeezing into the narrow entranceway.

Woah. Instead of a traditional shrine within a cave, it's a bunch of magical rune stones around a small circular stone table. Only after taking a few more steps, they come to life and multiple spirits surround me now.

"Who is this man...oh wait. I sense someone within him….Noelia, you're back." one of the spirits says, and Noelia pops out in spirit form as well to respond.

"Hello Dad. Meet Chris, he freed me from the Phantom Region. Pyra is gone though. Chris and his friends defeated her with my help." Noelia explains. The spirits murmur amongst themselves, and then turn to me. They thank me for making the journey here before offering me something. They offer to send me back to the mainland, and Noelia can have her strength replenished here. Well that's a win-win situation. Although, I should probably specify exactly where they should "send" me.

"Please send me to the nearest port. There's a few things I need to prepare for."

With that, the spirits engulf me in a bright light.

The light fades, and I find myself at a harbor. Oh, this must be Panbu. An outlying port town that Cardinal hasn't laid its hands on. Looking behind me, I'm greeted by the serene ocean. Nice to be out of that cave...and Noelia will have a chance to regain her strength...Huh!?

I'm looking into the dark blue sea, and I still have my one pink eye...but I can't feel Noelia. Maybe she'll be back later. I don't expect a magic recharge to finish in a few minutes after all. So I look at the moon before turning and heading towards town.

Looks like I was right. Cardinal hasn't touched this lovely port town, and I feel as if this might be a nice place to get away from the war once I get back home. Still, I'm pretty hungry. There'll be no more help from Noelia, so I reach into my back pocket for my wallet. Forty bucks. That's enough for a cheap meal and a night's stay somewhere I think.

So as I walk into town, I feel strangely happy. One thought runs through my head.

"I'm home."


	6. Chapter 6: The Sisters Silva

Estrella

It's nice to be outside once again. Faygold may still have the atmosphere of war hanging around, but anything to help my now extremely pale skin. At least Sade went outside during our slump.

We know where Chris was heading, but tracking down Ben is going to be much more of a hassle. Still, neither Sade or I know how to get to Chris either. Maybe Mahony will be more useful, and our parents...They aren't doing so great. Father tried to take our place in the war against Cardinal, and he's currently lying in the hospital with serious wounds. Mother is grieving and has locked herself in our family mansion. I don't blame her. The fact that her daughters were going off to war was enough, but now this?

Funny. She has the same fear as I do, and I think that's okay. Still, why would Chris leave me? I can't pinpoint it, but I didn't sense any malicious intent when he left us. Leave? Maybe that's not the right word. Chris hasn't broken up with me yet...and I really don't want to think about that anyways. So we decide to head towards Predator Unit HQ to talk to Mahony about this.

Upon entering his office, we see him lying down on a couch with a bandaged chest and a medical eyepatch. Fortunately that bullet only damaged his eye and didn't go through his skull…

He looks at Sade and I before chuckling.

"Heading back to the front lines? Or are you just going to reunite your team? Whatever it is, you'll only get a little bit of information from me." he mumbles. Sade walks over to cast some restorative magic whilst I sit down and talk with him.

"We're going back onto the battlefield to reunite Team CEBS. Then we'll decide if we'll return to the front lines." I state, and he slightly nods his head before relaxing under Sade's healing. Then he quickly snaps his fingers.

We're quickly escorted to the hangar where our old ships are. Quickly loading our gear, Sade and I get ready to launch. Sade however, has been given a new Marilyn Class Jet just like mine, since her original ship is only designed to resupply others. After testing our comm. system, we take off.

Hm. It seems as if my ship still has Chris and Ben's life signals in it's radar! I can use this to track them. Relaying this info to Sade, our first target is Ben, and he's on...the Nilf Enclave? Wonder what he's doing all the way out there…

 _A little while later…_

This is bad. The port town on the Nilf Enclave is currently ablaze! This is where Ben's life signal is though...Before I can react however, Sade immediately descends and prepares to land! I quickly call after her, but she immediately screams back.

"Ben's gone berserk! You go after Chris, I'll handle this!" she says before cutting her communication off.

Geez Sade! You could give me a bit more time to process something like this...but. I think I'll trust her with this one. She's pretty close with Ben after all, just like I am with Chris. Wishing Sade luck, I change my course towards Chris' life signal.


End file.
